Flight Intructor kidnapped student
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Much of the initial news coverage of this incident seems to derive from this story in the local Redding paper:
Yi said the school grounded him about three weeks ago. He said he believes it was because he allowed a friend he has made in Redding into his home to use the restroom. A call to IASCO was not returned Saturday.
Meanwhile, Shi, who goes by Chris, shed more light about a confrontation Friday morning that he said led his family to contact Redding Police. Officers later arrested IASCO general manager Jonathan Lipton McConkey, 48, and his assistant, Kelsi Hoser, 50.
Jonathan McConkey (Photo: Redding Police Department)
Kelsi Hoser (Photo: Shasta County Jail)Shi played the audio on his smartphone for the Record Searchlight and allowed a reporter to record it. The three people heard on it — a man speaking loudly in English, a woman who speaks both English and Mandarin, and Shi — do not state their names during the recording. The details in their conversation fit with the statements police have made about the incident.
Redding police Sgt. Gary Meadows has been handling the investigation. He did not immediately respond to an email sent Saturday afternoon asking him to confirm whether investigators have a similar recording.
Both McConkey and Hoser were booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a crime. Late Friday, however, they were not listed in the jail's electronic custody roster.
Shi said he has no idea why he was supposed to be sent back to China.
Shi told police McConkey and Hoser battered him and forced him to leave the house to go back to China.
Audio of the incident here:
https://www.redding.com/videos/news/...hool/35414709/
More in the news article:
https://www.redding.com/story/news/2...aff/647842002/
Two Chinese flight students shaken over experience with IASCO staff
Amber Sandhu, Record Searchlight Published 9:00 a.m. PT May 27, 2018
A second IASCO Flight Training student has come forward to say he was confronted in his home by the program's manager and told he'd be sent home to China immediately over what he says was a small infraction of rules.
Zhang Xun Yi, 24, shared his experience after the case of Tianshu Shi, the 21-year-old man Redding Police say was the victim of an attempted kidnapping by two employees of the school, became public.A second IASCO Flight Training student has come forward to say he was confronted in his home by the program's manager and told he'd be sent home to China immediately over what he says was a small infraction of rules.
Yi said the school grounded him about three weeks ago. He said he believes it was because he allowed a friend he has made in Redding into his home to use the restroom. A call to IASCO was not returned Saturday.
Meanwhile, Shi, who goes by Chris, shed more light about a confrontation Friday morning that he said led his family to contact Redding Police. Officers later arrested IASCO general manager Jonathan Lipton McConkey, 48, and his assistant, Kelsi Hoser, 50.
Audio recording sheds light on harrowing experience
During an exclusive interview with the Record Searchlight Saturday, Shi produced an audio recording he said he made in the early hours on Friday when McConkey and Hoser showed up at his home on Trudie Trail in Redding.Jonathan McConkey (Photo: Redding Police Department)Kelsi Hoser (Photo: Shasta County Jail)Redding police Sgt. Gary Meadows has been handling the investigation. He did not immediately respond to an email sent Saturday afternoon asking him to confirm whether investigators have a similar recording.
Both McConkey and Hoser were booked into Shasta County Jail on suspicion of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit a crime. Late Friday, however, they were not listed in the jail's electronic custody roster.
Shi said he has no idea why he was supposed to be sent back to China.
Shi told police McConkey and Hoser battered him and forced him to leave the house to go back to China.
Audio of the incident here:
https://www.redding.com/videos/news/...hool/35414709/
More in the news article:
https://www.redding.com/story/news/2...aff/647842002/
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Ms. Hoser (stripes are in this year 
) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.
She previously lists regional, national and global sales manager positions with Continental and United and a M.S. degree from University of Illinois.
With this background it would seem unlikely that she didn't know the illegality of any scheme to involuntarily repatriate a foreign flight student without due process.
Was the order to return Shi from the Chinese sponsors perhaps?
See: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsi-c-hoser-81003a48
) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.She previously lists regional, national and global sales manager positions with Continental and United and a M.S. degree from University of Illinois.
With this background it would seem unlikely that she didn't know the illegality of any scheme to involuntarily repatriate a foreign flight student without due process.
Was the order to return Shi from the Chinese sponsors perhaps?
See: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsi-c-hoser-81003a48
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Ms. Hoser (stripes are in this year ) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.
She previously lists regional, national and global sales manager positions with Continental and United and a M.S. degree from University of Illinois.
With this background it would seem unlikely that she didn't know the illegality of any scheme to involuntarily repatriate a foreign flight student without due process.
Was the order to return Shi from the Chinese sponsors perhaps?
See: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsi-c-hoser-81003a48
) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.She previously lists regional, national and global sales manager positions with Continental and United and a M.S. degree from University of Illinois.
With this background it would seem unlikely that she didn't know the illegality of any scheme to involuntarily repatriate a foreign flight student without due process.
Was the order to return Shi from the Chinese sponsors perhaps?
See: http://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsi-c-hoser-81003a48
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The getaway van, a Chrysler with license plate JHF990, was driven by Hoser on the way to the airport. The police checked an apartment where Shi was initially staying and they were referred to another apartment where they got a description of the getaway vehicle and the rendition crew.
Shi's phone was pinged and police units were able to locate Shi and his captors in one of the IASCO buildings at the Redding airport. Apparently the plan was to fly Shi to SFO and put him on a flight back to China. Maybe they had to swing by the office to pick up Shi's passport or an order cancelling his visa.
IASCO was bought by Jiutian International Flight Academy in 2015.
Shi's phone was pinged and police units were able to locate Shi and his captors in one of the IASCO buildings at the Redding airport. Apparently the plan was to fly Shi to SFO and put him on a flight back to China. Maybe they had to swing by the office to pick up Shi's passport or an order cancelling his visa.
Ms. Hoser (stripes are in this year ) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.
) is mentioned as Mr. McConkey's assistant. Her LinkedIn profile reveals that she has been Director of Administration for IASCO for the past few weeks. She also lists the current title of Deputy Director, Ground School for Qingdao Jiutian International Flight Academy.
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It sounds as if someone in the home country wanted him back there for some reason. Maybe he wasn't willing to return or maybe they thought he wouldn't be willing, so didn't ask, just acted. It's going to be really interesting to hear the motives of the Americans involved, if they ever fess up.
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Good old IASCO, no idea they were still around
Had a gig with them 1991/1992.
Finally got my money after I left and they did not try to kidnap or deport my arse.
Had a gig with them 1991/1992.
Finally got my money after I left and they did not try to kidnap or deport my arse.
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From my experience the Chinese students were treated with little dignity and strict rules imposed upon them. Where this came from, flight school or the Chinese agent, I do not know. However I have my suspicion. It was not uncommon for a student to be told in the morning and put on a flight home in the afternoon. Of course that was after a length of troublesome performance and significant remedial training. Finally the sponsor decided to pull the plug.
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He said he believes it was because he allowed a friend he has made in Redding into his home to use the restroom.
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The latest reason given for this is that the instructor though Shi had poor English and so would not be able to complete his course.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ina-say-police
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ina-say-police
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A second IASCO Flight Training student has come forward to say he was confronted in his home by the program's manager and told he'd be sent home to China immediately over what he says was a small infraction of rules.
Zhang Xun Yi, 24, shared his experience after the case of Tianshu Shi, the 21-year-old man Redding Police say was the victim of an attempted kidnapping by two employees of the school, became public.
Yi said the school grounded him about three weeks ago. He said he believes it was because he allowed a friend he has made in Redding into his home to use the restroom. A call to IASCO was not returned Saturday.
Zhang Xun Yi, 24, shared his experience after the case of Tianshu Shi, the 21-year-old man Redding Police say was the victim of an attempted kidnapping by two employees of the school, became public.
Yi said the school grounded him about three weeks ago. He said he believes it was because he allowed a friend he has made in Redding into his home to use the restroom. A call to IASCO was not returned Saturday.
California is an all-party permission required recording state but I'm sure it will be argued that since the loud dialog took place in the presence of multiple roommates, there was no expectation of privacy. Shi's recording will most likely be admissible in legal proceedings is my layman's guess.
What is on the profanity-laced recording
When McConkey and Hoser showed up at his home, Shi said he decided to record audio of the incident.“You’re going home, with or without your luggage,” a male voice is heard saying.
A woman's voice is also clearly audible, speaking Mandarin to Shi.
Then, the woman raises her voice and switches to English, demanding that Shi do the same.
“If you cannot speak English, you are not going to be able to stay here,” the woman is heard saying.
Shi is heard faintly referencing the documents he says he hasn't received. The man replies that Shi is in his custody.
“Do you understand what in my custody means? Do you understand? It means I will forcibly remove you,” The male voice says. “If you want the police to come with guns, I got you on that. Alright? You ass is leaving right now. Let’s (profanity) go.”
The man's voice is heard saying he has Shi’s passport.
“Boy, don’t (profanity) with me, do you understand?” the male voice says.
Shi asks if the man is threatening him.
“Your ass is getting on the plane right now or I’ll break your (profanity) arm. You better believe I’m (profanity) threatening you. And the United States government needs you out of this country right now, you understand?” the male voice says.
“You are here illegal, you know that. If you don’t go with us, you go to jail,” the female voice says.
“You’re going to jail if you don’t go with me,” the male voice adds.
Shi has been in the United States approximately seven months. He arrived on an M-1 visa, which is allotted to students who enroll in vocational programs. He said his visa is valid for one year, and his university paid approximately $70,000 for him to train at IASCO. But for the past two months, he’s been “grounded,” unable to fly or train.
He said he’s never had an issue with his flight skills, but suspects he was removed from training because of his English.
“I can’t speak English well in life, but I can speak English well with air traffic control,” he said.
During the confrontation with McConkey, Shi said the manager gripped his right arm and bent his left side over the kitchen island. Saturday morning, he said he was still experiencing pain in his right arm.
http://www.redding.com/story/news/20...aff/647842002/
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Also, the fact that his visa is valid for one year, means nothing if the school drops him as a student. Visa is not a document that grants your stay in the USA, but it is a document that allows single or multiple entries in the USA ( depending on what is specified on that visa). In other words, if his school dropped him, his M-1 visa that expires in 1 year, does NOT permit him to stay legally in the USA, because he lost his legal status, once his school dropped him. Of course, in practice, there will be some sort of a grace period (30-60 days) so he could leave the country legally.
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From a Reddit thread, translation of Ms. Hoser's and Shi's Chinese in angle brackets:
In the recording some posters feel that her Mandarin is more fluent than her English.
Hoser: Listen to me. <We received a message from the Mainland, you need to go back today. We can resolve any issues with the Mainland>, OK?
McConkey: You're going home with or without your luggage.
Shi: <I need to receive the notice directly from my school>
Hoser: Yea, <exactly! A notice from your school. We are your custodians right now. When you're in America, we're in charge of you. You need to listen to our orders>
Shi: <My school-->
Hoser: SPEAK ENGLISH PLEASE. Can you speak English? If you cannot speak English, you are not going to be [sic] stay here.
McConkey: You're going home with or without your luggage.
Shi: <I need to receive the notice directly from my school>
Hoser: Yea, <exactly! A notice from your school. We are your custodians right now. When you're in America, we're in charge of you. You need to listen to our orders>
Shi: <My school-->
Hoser: SPEAK ENGLISH PLEASE. Can you speak English? If you cannot speak English, you are not going to be [sic] stay here.
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Also, the fact that his visa is valid for one year, means nothing if the school drops him as a student. Visa is not a document that grants your stay in the USA, but it is a document that allows single or multiple entries in the USA ( depending on what is specified on that visa). In other words, if his school dropped him, his M-1 visa that expires in 1 year, does NOT permit him to stay legally in the USA, because he lost his legal status, once his school dropped him. Of course, in practice, there will be some sort of a grace period (30-60 days) so he could leave the country legally.
As for the pilot school admins - I think they are in for a world of hurt from the state. Pretty much everything said on that tape and their actions are going to bury them.
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A student visa may be extended, or approved if the intl student takes on a new course of study from an accredited source. If he washed out of the approved pilot course, he could attend university, and request that his new course of study is within the same guidelines for intl student visa. In most cases, the immigration people will be ok with that, provided it's an accredited school. However, the sponsor in China is likely not going to supply expenses for the new course of study, so he's on the hook for paying tuition, and living.
As for the pilot school admins - I think they are in for a world of hurt from the state. Pretty much everything said on that tape and their actions are going to bury them.
As for the pilot school admins - I think they are in for a world of hurt from the state. Pretty much everything said on that tape and their actions are going to bury them.
Looks like 3-8 years.
https://www.shouselaw.com/kidnapping.html
could be more for 'aggravated'. something the prosecutor will decide when charging.
https://www.shouselaw.com/kidnapping.html
could be more for 'aggravated'. something the prosecutor will decide when charging.
